Shipping unit and lifting skid therefor



Jan. 4, 1955 A. K. STRONG 2,698,696

SHIPPING UNIT AND LIFTING SKID THEREFOR Filed Dec. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR .4; LEN A. JT/FO/VG,

ORNEY Jan. 4, 1955 A STRONG 2,698,696

SHIPPING UNIT AND LIFTING $KID.THEREFOR Filed Dec. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P '7 6 4 INVENTOR v )7; 4 [/V/K JT/PO/VG M... WM

ATTORN EY United States Patent SHIPPING UNIT AND LIFTING SKID THEREFOR Allen K. Strong, Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to American Cyanamid Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maine Application December 24, 1953, Serial No. 400,257

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-105) This invention is directed to the lifting, stacking and moving of bagged materials and has for its principal object the provision of an improved means whereby a number of filled bags can be loaded into a car or truck, shipped, and unloaded as a single unit. A further object is the provision of an improved lifting skid that is so inexpensive that it can economically become a part of a packaged load. Not only does the provision of such a transportable and deliverable skid permit the shipper to stack unit loads of filled bags in a warehouse, truck or box car by means of a lift truck, but it also enables the consignee to unload, stack and unstack these units with a similar truck, and without the necessity of manual handling of the bags.

In transporting filled bags at a single locality such as between a warehouse and a loading area it is now the practice to stack a number of bags on a pallet, which is a small platform under which the forks of a lift truck can be inserted. By this procedure a number of bags can be moved by the truck at one time without manual handling. However such pallets are not adapted to be shipped along with the load for a number of reasons including their expense and additional weight in the load, particularly with the extensive bracing necessary when the support of the lift truck forks is withdrawn, and the fact that it is not feasible to stack one palleted pile on top of another. It is therefore necessary to lift the bags from the pallets and stack them in a box car or truck by hand and to unload the car or truck by hand at the receiving point.

The present invention is based on the concept of converting a pile of bags of a size and weight conveniently handled by the usual lift truck into a single shipping unit that can be loaded, transported and unloaded as though the bags were bound together or packaged in a container. This is done by means of a lifting skid so designed and so cheaply constructed that it becomes a part of the load. When the skid is in position substantially the entire weight of the bags is transmitted through the flexible web thereof to a supporting surface, so that the units can be stacked on top of each other without danger of toppling, as if it were not present at all. However, the construction and arrangement of the skid is such that the weight of the bags is transmitted directly to the forks of a lift truck when the pile is lifted thereby, so that there is relatively little pressure on the web section. This permits the web to be made of a relatively low cost material such as paper, burlap or other cloth, light cordage or netting and the like.

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein preferred embodiments thereof are illustrated. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of one form of the lifting skid.

Fig. 2 shows two of the shipping units, each consisting of a pile of bags positioned on the skid of Fig. 1, stacked in shipping position as in a box car.

Fig. 3 is a perspective with parts broken away illustrating a second embodiment of the invention wherein triangular liners are used to accommodate the forks of a blade-type lift truck.

Figs. 4-8 are detailed perspectives illustrating other forms of liners or distending means that may be utilized in the lifting skid.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the lifting skid indicated generally by reference numeral 1 conlists essentially of a flexible web 2 having loops 3 and 4 at opposite ends thereof. Liners or distending means 5 and 6 are inserted in the loops 3 and 4 and form with said loops a pair of lifting tubes 7 and 8 adapted to receive the forks of a lift truck. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the web 2 passes under the bottom bags of the pile and that its length is such that the tubes 7 and 8 are positioned under the outer ends thereof. Because the outer ends of the lowermost bags of the pile are inclined upwardly, and because the bags are yieldable, the weight of the pile rests on the web 2 when the pile is stationary on a supporting surface, such as the floor of a truck or box car or on a lower pile of bags. For this reason the lifting skid of the invention does not create any instability in the pile during its shipment and the pile will remain intact even if it should be shifted laterally by sudden stops or starts of the vehicle during its transit. On the other hand, the Weight of the bags is carried almost entirely by the tubes when the pile is lifted by the forks of a lift truck inserted therein.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 there is shown a pair of liners or distending means 10 and llwhich are triangular in cross section. The central web 2 and the loops 3 and 4 are similar to those of the embodiment of Fig. 1, except that they are somewhat longer. The triangular liners 10 and 11 are preferably formed from a single piece of cardboard that is folded at 12 and 13 so that its edges are brought together as at 14 and 15. This type of liner has the advantage that the cardboard can be shipped flat and folded and inserted into the loops 3 and 4 at the point of use. The resulting lifting skid is particularly adapted for use with a lift truck having blade type forks, but it can also be used with trucks having forks of other shapes as the cardboard liners are easily deformable.

Fig. 4 illustrates a liner 20 of cardboard or other similar material having a single fold 21 so that the bottom 22 and the side 23 are at right angles to each other. This liner or distending means has the advantages of the triangular liner of Fig. 3 but is slightly cheaper. Fig. 5 shows a liner 25 that is rectangular in cross section; it may be constructed of cardboard, wood, plastic-impregnated cloth or any other suitable material. Fig. 6 illustrates a liner or sleeve 30 similar in form to the liner of Fig. 3 but which is provided with a double thickness along its outer vertical side 31 for extra strength. This liner is also preferably formed from a single piece of cardboard that is folded three times as at 32 and 33 and again at 34 so that its outer end 35 lies parallel to the inner end 36. Fig. 7 shows a liner 40 of cardboard or other suitable material having two folds 41 and 42, similar to the liner of Fig. 3 but with an inclined outer wall 44. Fig. 8 shows a distending means 45 in the form of a single strip of wood, laminated cardboard or other suitable material passed through the end of the loop 4 to keep the loop open so that the fork of a lift truck can readily be inserted therein.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the central web 2 is shown as a single thickness of material, the loops 3 and 4 being formed by bringing the ends thereof around the liners 5 and 6 and attaching them to the central portion by gluing or stapling. It will be understood, however, that the web 2 may consist of a number of thicknesses of flexible material if desired. Thus, for example, the ends of a length of paper may be fastened together to form a central web of double thickness with loops at its outer portions through which the liners or distending means may be inserted. The paper or fabric constituting the web may first be folded on itself to form two or more thicknesses before the ends thereof are brought together or otherwise attached to the central web, or longitudinal folds or creases may be made to increase the tensile strength thereof. Thus, for

example, the outer edges of a sheet of the paper may be folded back to form a double thickness before the ends are brought together, thus providing greater resistance to tearing.

As has been explained above, the principal advantages of the lifting skid of the invention are its low cost and weight and the fact that it does not decrease the stability of a pile of bags during shipment as would be the case if pallets of the usual type were used. When two or more of the shipping units of the invention are stacked, one on the other, the surfaces of the bottom bags of the upper stack rest on the top bags of the lower stack, being separated therefrom only by the flexible web of the skid, and therefore conform to all of the irregularities thereof. All the bags of such a stack therefore dovetail as a unit and the pile is just as stable as though the lifting skid were not present at all. The tubes 7 and 8 remain in place, however, and the units can therefore be readily unstacked and removed from the car or truck simply by inserting the forks of a lift truck therein, and without the necessity of manual handling.

The utility of the invention in lifting, stacking and moving bagged material is therefore evident. Each of the two units shown in Fig. 2, for example, consists of a pile of fourteen bags of granular material, the bags being stacked in courses at right angles to each other and each bag having a gross weight of 100 lbs. The entire load, weighing almost three-quarters of a ton, was easily picked up and supported by the lifting tubes without rupture or undue strain on the central web, which was composed of a double thickness of heavy kraft paper with folded edges. The cost of this lifting skid is considerably less than the labor cost of packing these bags in a box car or truck by hand, and a similar saving in unloading and storing the bags is available to the consignee.

What I claim is:

1. A shipping unit comprising in combination a lifting skid having a flexible web and a pair of parallel lifting tubes positioned in opposite ends thereof and adapted to receive the forks of a lift truck and a pile of filled bags stacked in courses thereon, each bag of the bottom course being positioned on said web and extending from one end thereof to the other and having said tubes positioned under its outer ends and the remaining courses of the pile being stacked on said bottom course whereby the ends of the bottom bags are held in place between said tubes and said upper courses and the pile is carried thereby when the unit is lifted by said lift truck forks but the weight of the pile is transmitted through the web to a supporting surface when the unit is resting thereon.

2. A shipping unit comprising in combination a lifting skid having a flexible web with loops at opposite ends thereof and distending means therein and forming with said loops a pair of lifting tubes positioned in said ends and adapted to receive the forks of a lift truck and a pile of filled bags stacked in courses thereon, each bag of the bottom course being positioned on said web and extending from one end thereof to the other and having said tubes positioned under its outer ends and the remaining courses of the pile being stacked on said bottom course whereby the ends of the bottom bags are held in place between said tubes and said upper courses and the pile is carried thereby when the unit is lifted by said lift truck forks but the weight of the pile is transmitted through the web to a supporting surface when the unit is resting thereon.

3. A shipping unit comprising in combination a lifting skid consisting essentially of a flexible paper web having opposite ends looped around hollow cardboard liners forming therewith a pair of lifting tubes positioned in said ends and adapted to receive the forks of a lift truck and a pile of filled bags stacked in courses thereon, each bag of the bottom course being positioned on said web and extending from one end thereof to the other and having said tubes positioned under its outer ends and the remaining courses of the pile being stacked on said bottom course whereby the ends of the bottom bags are held in place between said tubes and said upper courses and the pile is carried thereby when the unit is lifted by said lift truck forks but the weight of the pile is transmitted through the Web to a supporting surface when the unit is resting thereon.

4. A shipping unit according to claim 3 wherein said liners are circular in cross section.

5. A shipping unit according to claim 3 wherein said liners are triangular in cross section.

6. A shipping unit according to claim 3 wherein said liners are rectangular in cross section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,328,397 Neuman Aug. 3, 1943 2,428,246 Whittington Sept. 9, 1947 2,444,183 Cahners June 29, 1948 2,506,346 Crawford May 2, 1950 2,609,923 Simonton Sept. 9, 1952 2,643,080 Vogel June 23, 1953 

